So I posted some of this within another thread, but thought it warranted it's own post. I know that there's been a lot of questions about Gustto bags, and Baca's in particular. I spoke to Gustto today, and think I found the answer to some of those questions.
I recd my Blue Baca today (the one I got on ebay for $225). When I got the bag, my heart sank and thought for sure I got another fake bag. The inner zipper was yellow, with no trim around the pocket, and the label inside the bag was paper thin. In addition, the leather didn't feel anything like other Baca's I have seen and it was missing that yummy leather smell.
So I called Gustto and here's what they told me:
When Gustto bags first came out, they were made by another manufacturer - one Gustto no longer uses. Many of the very early (or first-run) Baca's were extremely different from the ones made today. The inner zippers were plastic and a yellow color totally unrelated to the lining color or the color of the bag. The label inside the bag and all the leather "pieces" used on the bags were much thinner than the ones Gustto uses now on ALL of their bags. Those labels were paper thin. She also said the overall quality of the bag was different back then.
She said that since they changed manufacturers, many of the details were changed, as well as how the bags were made. I'm guessing that they either use a different kind of leather now, or a much better quality leather. She said that the blue bag is an authentic Baca, just one of the very first ones and that I'll find some very big differences between that bag and the ones they sell now. Since I explained that I just wanted to give the bag a test-run to make sure the size & shape would work for me, she said that hasn't changed. The old Baca's are the same size as the newer ones.
So there you have it - yellow plastic zippers WERE used by Gustto. They now use gold zippers and most pockets are trimmed with some kind of leather. The labels and leather pieces on the bags now are much thicker and the leather of the originals was different (judging from the blue bag I bought, it's not as thick or soft as the ones today are - the leather is soft - but not like the ones I've seen in stores now)
I recd my Blue Baca today (the one I got on ebay for $225). When I got the bag, my heart sank and thought for sure I got another fake bag. The inner zipper was yellow, with no trim around the pocket, and the label inside the bag was paper thin. In addition, the leather didn't feel anything like other Baca's I have seen and it was missing that yummy leather smell.
So I called Gustto and here's what they told me:
When Gustto bags first came out, they were made by another manufacturer - one Gustto no longer uses. Many of the very early (or first-run) Baca's were extremely different from the ones made today. The inner zippers were plastic and a yellow color totally unrelated to the lining color or the color of the bag. The label inside the bag and all the leather "pieces" used on the bags were much thinner than the ones Gustto uses now on ALL of their bags. Those labels were paper thin. She also said the overall quality of the bag was different back then.
She said that since they changed manufacturers, many of the details were changed, as well as how the bags were made. I'm guessing that they either use a different kind of leather now, or a much better quality leather. She said that the blue bag is an authentic Baca, just one of the very first ones and that I'll find some very big differences between that bag and the ones they sell now. Since I explained that I just wanted to give the bag a test-run to make sure the size & shape would work for me, she said that hasn't changed. The old Baca's are the same size as the newer ones.
So there you have it - yellow plastic zippers WERE used by Gustto. They now use gold zippers and most pockets are trimmed with some kind of leather. The labels and leather pieces on the bags now are much thicker and the leather of the originals was different (judging from the blue bag I bought, it's not as thick or soft as the ones today are - the leather is soft - but not like the ones I've seen in stores now)
